


Caught in the Crossfire

by Underratedcharactersunite



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Angst, Eventual Smut, F/M, Family Drama, Fluff, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-06
Updated: 2018-12-06
Packaged: 2019-09-12 21:18:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16879356
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Underratedcharactersunite/pseuds/Underratedcharactersunite
Summary: Merle and Reader escape Woodbury but in the mist in all the chaos Merle and Reader’s seven-year-old daughter is caught in the crossfire and the Governor takes her as a hostage. Merle Dixon knows he’s no saint and the group at the prison may not help him due to their past encounters. But Merle is certain he will get his baby girl back. Will the group help them or will they be forced to face the governor alone?





	Caught in the Crossfire

The gunfire came from every direction, shell casings dropped to the ground Smoke clouded vision as people shot blindly. Yet your vision was clear enough to see what he wanted you too. You watched him grab her arm pulling her towards him. Your feet carried you as you sprinted towards her. Her mouth was moving but you couldn’t make out what she was saying, the tears running down her face like a waterfall gave you everything you needed to push you forward. You never felt the bullets pierce your shoulder or your leg. You never realised that Merle come up behind you shooting the gunman down. In a haste, Merle picked you up bridal style while you screamed her name, slowly falling out of consciousness before the black abyss consumed you.

Thump…Thump…Thump…Someone’s yelling in the distance a voice you recognise..too cloudy to determine who. Someone’s sitting beside you, a stranger. Your eyes feel too heavy to open but something makes you D/N.

Lunging forward, your eyes are wide awake searching for familiarity. There was nothing. You were in a prison cell, blankets had been thrown over you. You felt nothing. No pain. Weakness had consumed your body, collapsing back onto the soft pillow. 

“Easy there, if you move too much your stitches will reopen. Now I understand that your daughter is still in Woodbury but what use are you going to be if you haven’t healed” You gently turned your head feeling a sharp twinge in your shoulder. 

“Who are you and where’s Merle?” An elderly gentleman sat beside you, his hair was completely white. He sat with his back completely straight, the way he held himself. You were aware that the elderly gentleman was valued by this group 

“My name’s Herschel Greene. I’ve been with Rick for a while now. I’d ask your name but Merle has been yelling for you ever since you arrived here. I’ve heard mostly negative things but what I’ve seen I think people might jump to the wrong conclusion.”

“Y/N baby, are you awake? Officer friendly, ya best let me out of this goddam room! Otherwise, it’s gonna get real nasty for you. If the Governor couldn’t keep me from her, do ya really think you can?” You heard Merle’s raspy tone and you instantly relaxed. There had always been something about Merle’s voice that could ease anxiety despite him threatening somebody. 

“I’m not letting you out! You’re a danger to this group!” Rick snarled. Herchel tapped your hand gently, before standing up. 

“Excuse me for a moment, I need to have a chat with Rick. I expect you to be in the same position when I get back.” Herschel never gave you a minute to reply before he left. You scanned the room, there were a few things dotted around the place primarily on the solitary self that was meant for prisoners. As you laid your head back on the surprisingly soft pillow. Your body seemed to fight against your will to stay awake. The quietness of the cell and the softness of the pillow your eyes slowly began to close falling into a peaceful slumber. 

Unbeknownst to you, outside was anything but peaceful. 

“Rick a word please”, Herschel asked as he entered the room slowly. 

“Is everythin’ alrigh’?” Daryl questions from his spot on the stairs. 

“You were right about her being a fighter. She’s awake and stable but she’s extremely weak. She needs time to recuperate and to recover but I get the impression that she won’t relax unless she’s got her family around her including Merle and their Daughter. Rick your not going to like this but you need to let Merle out.” Herschel observed the way Rick’s eyes widened a fraction. It wasn’t going to be a positive decision but it needed to made.

“You can’t be serious. You know what he’s done to Glenn to Maggie” Rick gritted his teeth as he began to pace around the room as if he had become a caged animal.

“I believe that he did what he had to do in order to keep his family safe. Rick think about it, even if they thought about leaving Woodbury they would have had to gather supplies, food and a car to travel. They couldn’t just leave. Rick, what if you had been in the same situation. You would have done anything to keep them safe” The group studied Rick as glared at Merle with a dangerous glare.

“Rick, ya need to. Bein’ locked up like some cagged animal is only going to make him worse.” Rick ran his hand over his chin. Could he really make this decision? He needed to think of the group and their safety but keeping Merle locked up in the other room was only going to annoy everybody around him because Merle was not going to give 

“Fine, but if he does anythin’ Daryl and I mean anything it will be done to you.” Daryl nodded before Rick reluctantly took the keys from his belt, unlocking the door. Merle pushed past Rick heading directly towards the cell in which you were currently sleeping.

“Merle, you gotta say thank you.” Daryl blocked the path to your cell as Merle’s muscles tensed up. 

“I aint sayin’ thank you. Now baby brother, your gonna move out the way so I can see my baby girl” Daryl stood his ground against his older brother giving Merle no way out. Eventually, Merle grumbled a thank you. Daryl moved aside letting Merle in to finally see you. 

Merle had to look twice to realise it was you. Never in his entire life had he seen you look weak. Your skin had lost its healthy complexion, bags dropped under your normally happy eyes. After everything that Merle had put you through, his time in prison, his drug addiction, the many occasions that Merle had disappeared weeks on end. Never had he seen you look like this. You took everything in your stride. 

The Governor and his man had done this to you. Merle was going to kill every last one of them. Crouching down onto his knee’s, he gently took your hand on his pressing a soft kiss on your knuckles, smiling when it caused you to stir. 

“Well hello there, I almost lost you there for a second.”

“Sorry to disappoint you.” Merle smiled for a moment thinking you were kidding. Yet he didn’t see a smile on your face.

“I don’t want ya saying shit like that to me again unless your jokin’. Darlin’ I wouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for you or D/N.” Tears began to fall, Merle had to look away, he hated nothing more than seeing you cry. 

“But it’s my fault. It’s my fault that D/N is still at Woodbury. I should have kept hold of her.” Getting as close as he physically could to you without hitting his head on the steel bunker above him. 

“What happened with D/N was nobody’s fault except the Governor’s. We’re going to get her back, I promise. Have I ever made you a promise that I didn’t keep? D/N will finally get that time with Daryl she keeps on about” 

“If I didn’t know you any better, I’d say you were jealous.” Merle laughed leaning closer towards your face, your breaths mixing together, Merle’s calloused hand wiped the stray tears away. 

“Darlin’, when have I ever been jealous?” 

“All the time. Every time a man looks at me. Anytime D/N brings up spending time with Daryl because you want to be her favourite….Merle, what do we do from here?” 

“Well, Darlin’ firstly I’m gonna kiss ya because that’s the perfect medicine for any injury. Then we’re both gonna get a good night’s rest and in the mornin’ I’m gonna see if I can find a wheelchair or somethin’ cause I know you’re not good at being on bed rest.” Merle slowly began to lean in, running his hand over the side of your face running his thumb over your bottom lip gently before letting it go replacing his thumb with his rough lips. Merle’s kisses were always rough and passionate typically emerged in lust. Yet this one was different, because, for the first time in Merle’s life, he had been afraid to lose you. Nobody was going to take you away from him and no matter what it took he would get his Daughter. There was no man, no walker that was going to stop him. 

Morning came quickly, the hot sun shined bright out of the window outside of the cell. The beginning of a brand new day brought another day without your Daughter, Using your good arm to hoist yourself up, you almost fell back when you realised you weren’t alone. What bothered you it wasn’t Merle or Daryl but a young boy no older than twelve. He stood in the doorway with a sheriff’s hat placed on top of his brown hair. 

“Can I help you?” You questioned, making direct eye contact with the young boy who seemed to invade your room without knocking or at least waking you up. 

“Do you really have a Daughter?” He retorted if he wasn’t a child perhaps you would have snapped at him or threatened him for accusing you of being a liar. But you gave him the benefit of the doubt. 

“I do her name’s D/N. If you help me up I can show you a picture.” The young boy hesitated eventually cautiously making his way over to your bedside helping you up so you were more comfortable. Now able to use your good arm, you were able to snap open the locket that remained hung around your neck. 

“Here, this was taken just before everythin’ went bad.” The young boy examined the picture before slowly giving it back to you.

“Do you have a name?” 

“Carl. Merle found you the wheelchair and Daryl is going to give you some of his fresh clothes until we can find you some” You wondered how he had found that information out doubting he had been apart of the conversation. 

“Would you mind getting them for me? I’d much like to get up and about today.” It was almost as if Daryl had heard you when he burst through the door of the cell. 

“Y/N, I need ya to come with me. Merle’s lossin’ his temper with Rick. He’s in one of those moods.” Looking at Daryl you nodded but Daryl just stood there. 

“Daryl, I’m gonna need some help.” 

“Right. Carl go grab the shirt off and pants off the table out there. Merle’s gonna kill me if you go out there lookin’ like that.” Carl listened to Daryl’s instruction. Leaving the room, leaving you and Daryl alone. 

“What are they arguing about?” Daryl sighed, running his hand over his face. 

“Rick doesn’t think it’s a good idea to go and try and rescue D/N. I ain’t happy with what Rick said. But Merle had to go off on one without thinkin’“ Carl came back with the trousers and shirt. 

“Carl leave the room for a moment will ya.” You looked at Daryl knowing that it had to be done. Daryl had caught you and Merle being intimate more times than you would care to admit. But beyond that was a bond between the two of you that reminded you or a brother-sister dynamic, both of you were willing to protect the other, you could tell Daryl anything and you knew that it wouldn’t go any further. 

Daryl expertly helped you change, gently settling you into the wheelchair before wheeling you towards Merle and Rick. You heard them before you could see them, the moment Daryl wheeled you outside, the sun that shone brightly. You lifted your hand so you could see the two men.

“Merle Dixon, you best step away from Rick right now before you get locked up again!”

“This piece of shit isn’t gonna help us. He’s gonna leave D/N out there in that hellhole where the Governor can do what he pleases to her!”

“Threatenin’ him ain’t gonna do any good, it’s just gonna make things worse. Step away from Rick and we’ll go for a walk so you can calm down.” Deep down Merle knew you were right, but his temper had gotten the best of him. 

“No can do darlin’, if officer friendly here doesn’t offer to help us then I’m gonna make everyone’s lives here more interesting!” Rick and Merle began arguing back and forth like two Male lions attempting to go for dominance. While the two of them argued back and forth. Something had caught your attention nearby. 

“Somebody’s coming!” It wasn’t clear to figure out who it was, they were hiding behind a walker. Your alert appeared to fall on death ears as neither of the two men didn’t halt their arguing. 

“Will ya both bloody listen to Y/N? Someone’s coming!” Daryl only raised his voice an octave higher before both men stopped their bickering.

“Great this is just what we need.” Rick spat before heading towards the entrance to discover the stranger coming straight toward the prison. 

In the last few days, you had come to realise something. At this current moment in your life, it appeared that your life wanted to constantly screw you. The one person (apart from the Governor who you least desired to see in the world) was now standing less than a couple of feet from you attempting to defend him. 

“Rick if you just talk to him you can come up with some sort of deal. He’s more than willing to accommodate. Phillip is a good man.” You couldn’t prevent the snort as it escapes you.

“A good man…well if he’s a good man that I must be an Angel. Have you seen my girl here? He shot her twice. The Mother of my baby girl…but wait for it Blondie…why would the Governor do such a thing if he was such a good man. Oh, that’s right he was taking our Daughter away. Now he’s got her stuck there like a prisoner.” Merle’s temper hadn’t adjusted since his conflict with Rick. You witnessed him falling deeper and deeper into the abyss, Merle in this state of mind was no good to anyone.

“Kidnapped, your daughter wasn’t kidnapped, Merle. She’s better off at Woodbury away from you! Rick, Merle’s probably gutted he’s unable to get his quick fix. I’m surprised you managed to keep your daughter before the apocalypse ” The rest of the group stilled listening to every word, Merle’s fist began to clench and unclench as if he was using an imaginary stress ball. 

“That’s enough! Merle might be a shit person to everyone else but he’s a good Dad. Now I suggest you tell us where my niece is so we can get her back.” Andrea rolled her eyes. 

“Why should I tell you?” 

“Because that makes you no better than that man that took her.” Carl chirped up, Andrea shrugged off his comment as if it didn’t matter to her. 

“Don’t get involved in something you know nothing about,” Andrea muttered. Gritting your teeth, you pushed onto the wheel of the wheelchair pushing it with all your might. 

“Carl, it’s okay. If you don’t tell me where my baby girl is the moment my arms fixed. I’m gonna use you and your little boyfriend as target practice…Then once your dead and ya have turned, your still gonna be suffering until I’ve used my last bullet before I finally put your pathetic life out of misery and let Merle stick his knife into your softened skull really slow… Now your gonna tell me where my daughter is…unless you’re wantin’ my idea. Then I’m gonna put ya in a cell so you can wait until I recover.” Andrea studied the women who appeared to not so much as a bat an unlash as she spoke. The room’s tension had risen like the growing heat outside. For the first time, the group; witnessed just why Merle had been attracted to you in the first place. 

“She’s been staying with Milton…perhaps she’s better off staying with him at least she’s happy.” You rolled your eyes purposely turning your chair away from her. 

“I know how to get D/N back.” Merle raised his eyebrow at you suddenly interested his eyes finally leaving Andrea.

“I’m all ears Darlin’”

“We get Milton to help us.” 

“Darlin that four-eyed freak isn’t gonna help us. His loyalty is to the Governor. Always has and always will be.” 

“I know he will help us….he’s my brother.”


End file.
